mikeeech Posted October 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 No progress since June! I'm working away from home now and weekends are very precious. I'm buying a flat now near work so my weekends might become availible again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted November 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2017 I fixed my short circuit between the cables yesterday - my ignition switch wiring was wrong... connected the battery only to have a dry rotating sound and smoke from the starter motor... the engine was not moving (although not seized) . More wiring problems I reckon. Probably ignition still Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted December 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2017 I spent today reassembling my rear hatch with rechromed hinges, stripped and repolished trim, replaced where dented and all ready to refit onto the car. This will finish off the rear end nicely but now just need the right size c pins for the hinges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted December 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2017 On 20/11/2017 at 18:42, mikeeech said: I fixed my short circuit between the cables yesterday - my ignition switch wiring was wrong... connected the battery only to have a dry rotating sound and smoke from the starter motor... the engine was not moving (although not seized) . More wiring problems I reckon. Probably ignition still I have diagnosed my starter problem by removing the restarted motor from the car and connecting it directly to the battery. It rotates when the hot terminal is connected so a dodgy solonoid is probably to blame. Having this kicking around in the garage for 4 years probably took its toll. I have dropped the starter motor off to be returned. Rear hatch will go on today and the windscreen trim will be stuck on. Hopefully this will not look too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilmagnet477 Posted December 30, 2017 Report Share Posted December 30, 2017 Well done Mike - credit to you for keeping at it - I know how you feel!! 2018 WILL be the OUR year!! Good Luck Quote Is the price for that bit in Yen or £? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted December 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2017 Yep, this year might just see it on the road. It won't be perfect but will give me plenty of things to do once I can get miles on it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted January 11, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 So starter is back in and now the engine turns overs! I don't have the spark plugs in to reduce resistance and to enable it to spin faster (at least that was the plan but I guess the starter motor speed will just mean it draws less current) to build up oil pressure but I'm not reading any pressure on the gauge. It is a mechanical guage with a pipe to the back of the meter. How long should I crank the engine in order to see oil pressure? If there is none then, with a mechanical gauge what could be wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USAndretti42 Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 Disconnect the oil pressure pipe from the engine, spin the engine over and check there is oil coming out of the connection. If so, check for puddles of oil somewhere in case the pipe is leaking, split or disconnected. Gauge could be kaput, of course. Quote S4 Elan, Elan +2S, Federal-spec, World Championship Edition S2 Esprit #42, S1 Elise, Excel SE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbharcourt Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 Looong loong time spinning on the starter, best bet is too take the cam belt off and spin the oil pump with an allen key bit in a drill. Even then it takes a little while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted January 25, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2018 Oil pump now primed after removing the cam belt and spinning up the oil pump. Got 60psi on the guage when using the drill but merely a flicker after refitting the cam belt and cranking it on the starter. At least I know there is oil around the entire engine and everything will be fine when it does start. I had to spend some time sorting out the electrics since the starter wouldn't start on the key and I was jumping it with a hot wire from the battery however this issue was simply the terminals on the wires connected to the solonoid being dirty and a light sand to get back to fresh metal sorted that. Many other electrical issues to sort now not least the fuel pump which is now getting power but I am getting a spark from the coil so sorting the fuel pump power should be done elastic thing stopping it! One step closer! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfrost Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 Great work Mike, glad you are finally getting near the end... Quote A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted January 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 Although just reading my last post my auto correct is not very good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted March 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2018 A new fuel pump will arrive tomorrow from sj sportcars. I was quoted a 10 week lead time but it has beaten my generic eBay electric pump which has got lost in the post. I'm also chasing electrical problems around. One rear light and one rear number plate light works fine. The other side is only getting 1volt (bad earth), indicators not working, windscreen wiper motor not working, none of the guages working and to be honest the amount of time finding the faults on a 40year old look which has been cut about previously would be a waste of time... I know that I'm getting a spark so once the engine is running the loom will come out and I will do each circuit from scratch putting in relays for my new dash panel (remember that!) And a new fuse box all where the light pod vacuum tanks were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive59 Posted March 12, 2018 Report Share Posted March 12, 2018 Did you happen to come across these fuel pumps? Good reports om them, made in New Zealand. The Fuelflow ECCO™ 15LM12 Diaphragm Pump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted March 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2018 No. I went for a straight forward replacement. The eBay pump seemed like a good option and was only £13. I could buy 10 of these for 1 replacement su pump but I thought I would do like for like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted March 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 My new su fuel pump turned up well ahead of schedule this week (the eBay item never did arrive and I have now had a refund) and fitted and wired directly to the battery via a toggle switch, since I'm getting no power via then original connector. This got fuel into the fuel filter that I fitted just behind the carbs so I thought I was all good for an engine start today... I nearly got it to catch after spraying carb cleaner into the trumpets but nothing much to speak of. Finally removed the fuel pipe to the carbs to find no fuel... Tracing this back to the tank side of the fuel lock valve confirmed that I have a block in the pipe that runs through the chassis although how this happened is a mistery since I sealed t hey tank and all the fuel lines were new! Maybe a spider crawled in and died over the years since! I ran some new fuel hose from the pump under the car to the fuel lock valve and have pressure at the carbs. Going for an engine start again got me close but the battery went flat so I will now replump the new fuel pipe through the chassis before trying again tomorrow! So close! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted March 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 ...and yet so far... The stout wire I chose to hold the old and new fuel pipe in a link whilst I pull the new pipe through the chassis pulled from the old pipe. Any tips on how to thread new pipe through the chassis box section with the prop shaft in place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilmagnet477 Posted March 15, 2018 Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 How frustrating Mike! Keep at it. Have you undone the pipe at the tank side of the cut off valve and run the pump? Good luck Ant Just now, mikeeech said: ...and yet so far... The stout wire I chose to hold the old and new fuel pipe in a link whilst I pull the new pipe through the chassis pulled from the old pipe. Any tips on how to thread new pipe through the chassis box section with the prop shaft in place? I'm keeping quiet on that one! I came very close to fixing a copper fuel line to the outside of the chassis..... Quote Is the price for that bit in Yen or £? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted March 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 (edited) I have had the same thought but speed bumps would terrify me. I have a good length of copper brake pipe which I could feed through the chassis holes and the fuel pipe would slide over it if only I could thread the copper pipe... Mercifully I have been checking out eBay and endoscopes are really cheap (they use a mobile phone to display the image which keeps the cost down) so one will be with me on Monday! Having got the old pipe out it was linked where it goes through the body. The wall thickness was pretty thin hence why my wire pull through the material. I only became aware that modern fuels containing ethanol can for these pipes so I was never very comfortable with it especially with its proximity to the exhaust and prop shaft. I will also be mounting a fuel cut off valve in the boot! Edited March 15, 2018 by mikeeech Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilmagnet477 Posted March 15, 2018 Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 Not sure speed bumps would be a problem if the pipe ran down the side - above the skirt bit that sticks out at an angle. Apart from the front and rear holes, there are 2 half moon shaped holes in baffles within the chassis - at the top. Check out my resto thread as I posted some pictures which although tricky to focus might help. There is a hole at the bottom of the chassis about half way along between the holes IIRC. Using something stiff but flexible to get through sounds like it might work - at least that would give you something to pull through again. I have a bore scope with it's own screen but I don't think it will make much difference. I used it initially and then took the diff off Failing that, you could be the first Elite owner with fuel pipes along the window trim (sorry!) Good luck 1 1 Quote Is the price for that bit in Yen or £? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeeech Posted March 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) With the help of CBCECLAT the technique to replace this pipe without major dismantling of the car is... With 6mm internal bore (high quality!) fuel pipe, use a good length (2 metres or so) of copper brake pipe which will fit nicely into the bore of the fuel pipe. Create a barb on the end of the copper pipe first by flattening the end and bending it back on itself. When inserted into fuel pipe the barb will prevent the copper pipe from coming loose. The copper pipe can be fed in from the back and through the associated holes with some jiggling to get it through the hole in the bulkhead at the gearbox end. Simple pull the new fuel pipe through Piece of cake thanks to Charlie... So whilst we were at it, and now with fuel to the carbs, it seemed a small job to start the engine. It just fails to catch. Checked points, firing order, timing... What was interesting is that the spark plugs were wet when removed and so it's running really rich which was exactly the problem it had when I brought it. It was a pig to start then but it did have a blown head gasket. Up to this point I have not adjusted the carbs since it was running in 2013. Any thoughts on what to adjust? Edited March 22, 2018 by mikeeech 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clivef38 Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 Have you checked the cam timing. I got court by this. At some time my car ran fine then the next morning it ran like a dog. Checked everything then took the engine out and the found the cam belt had jumped a couple of teeth. Bugger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom kilner Posted March 22, 2018 Report Share Posted March 22, 2018 My engine floods easily and then you can crank it till the battery is flat. Best method I found so far is no choke, couple of presses on the accelerator then start with foot off the gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAR Posted March 23, 2018 Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 It may not be running rich. The plugs will get wet very quickly if there is no proper spark to ignite it. You sure you have the leads on correctly and not giot the dizzy 180 degrees out? I suspect that its an electrical issue more than fuel. Will the car start with easy start sprayed into the carbs? That may prove the timing and electrics are all correct. Quote It's getting there...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM Steve V8 Posted March 23, 2018 Gold FFM Report Share Posted March 23, 2018 2 hours ago, TAR said: Will the car start with easy start sprayed into the carbs? That may prove the timing and electrics are all correct. Easy start works well but isn't the cheapest, Lynx deodorant is readily available, much cheaper, and works a treat, try it. Smells nice too.... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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